Coffee and Bacon
by fredsavage
Summary: Jane decides its time to make the first move.
1. Chapter 1

"We've been dancing around it." Jane says to her brother on the phone.

"Then do something about it."

"Like what?"

"Well, do you like her?"

"Yes. Of course, she's my best friend."

"Oh, for crying out loud, you know what I mean, do you like her as more than your best friend? Could she be everything for you?"

"She could." Jane says quietly.

Do you think she likes you? Is attracted to you?"

"I think so. I mean sometimes I feel like she is holding back, trying to be the responsible one, not give in, honor our friendship."

"So, do something about it."

"Like what?" Jane says exasperated.

Jane could picture Frankie waving his hands impatiently in the air. "I don't know. Cook for her, serve her wine and talk and be charming and beautiful – make a move. I can't believe I am the one you are coming to for advice."

"You think I am charming and beautiful?" She asks tentatively, holding her breath.

"I do." Frankie says quietly. "Look, you and Maura would make a great couple, really great, actually you already do."

"Aaahhh, I don't know."

"You trust her, right?"

"With my life."

"Then take a chance, even if she doesn't feel the same way, she'll talk it out with you, not leave you high and dry, right?"

"Yeah, she will. I may not understand her, but she will talk it out with me." Jane sighs.

"Stop being such a sissy and just do it, I don't have time for this. I'll talk to you later." With that, Frankie hangs up the phone, leaving Jane alone with her turbulent thoughts.

Jane couldn't believe how well dinner had gone. She'd made her chicken parmesan and Maura had oohed and aahed and then told her the origin of chicken parmesan. They had drank wine and talked and laughed and Jane felt relaxed, confident even. Being with Maura was so easy, warm in her chest. Maura had brought a delicious blueberry pie she'd bought from their favorite bakery and they had devoured that.

Now Jane was putting the dishes up, cleaning up a bit while Maura lounged on the couch with her wine glass twirling.

"Dinner was amazing, Jane," reaches her ears in the kitchen.

"Thanks. I loved cooking for you." Jane answered making her way into the living room, topping off Maura's glass before sitting down next to her on the couch.

"Hey, no really, thanks." Maura wraps her arm affectionately around her friend's neck, pulls her in for a quick kiss on the cheek.

Jane puts her glass down and turns to face Maura. She hears Maura take a big breath in at their closeness. Jane whispers, "Well, thanks for having dinner with me, too."

Their lips are now impossibly close.

"Jane? You're really close." Maura says haltingly.

"Hmm?" Jane says distractedly as she takes Maura's wine glass from her, sets it on the table. She pulls Maura's hand forward and places it on her own leg, runs her hand up Maura's arm gently, softly until she is cupping Maura's neck, her cheek.

Maura's eyes are fluttering. She is biting her lower lip. "You are really close. I can't…" Maura trails off helplessly.

"You can't what?" Jane asks helpfully, bringing her arm up on the edge of the couch, curling it around Maura's back.

"I can't," she licks her lips, Jane's breath hitches, "not kiss you."

Jane leans closer, lays her lips softly on Maura's, leans back, looks into Maura's eyes questioningly.

"Again," she says.

Jane frames her face with her warm fingers and their lips meet again. They sink into each other, arms move, hands touch. Maura wraps her arms firmly around Jane's neck tentatively tracing her tongue along her lower lip. Jane sighs, sinks further, opens her mouth, tongues dueling softly.

They finally pull apart from each other breathing heavily. Jane lays her forehead on Maura's.

"Maura?" Jane whispers.

"Hmm?" on a deep breath in.

"Is this OK?"

Maura pulls back, cocks her head to the side. Jane can't help smiling at Maura's rumpled hair and swollen lips, rosy cheeks. She tucks a piece of Maura's soft blonde hair gently behind her ear. Maura grabs her wrist and brings her fingers to her mouth, brushing her knuckles with her lips, once, twice.

"This is very OK," answers Maura, smiling.

"Good, because I need more."

With that Jane crushes their lips together and pushes Maura back on the couch until she is stretched out along Maura, Maura's legs wrapped around her waist, both struggling to be closer together. Jane's fingers creep up under Maura's shirt along her ribs. Both women are breathless at the contact. Maura's hands already all along the bare skin of Jane's warm back, kissing, kissing necks, mouths, collarbones.

Jane and Maura sit up, Jane in Maura's lap, her lanky legs now wrapped around her. She reaches for the hem of Maura's shirt even as her mouth lays fluttery kisses all over her face, neck. Maura's hands hold Jane's hips firmly as her breath quickens, her heart pounds.

As Jane goes to lift Maura's shirt over her head, Maura frames Jane's face, stills her hands.

"Jane?" she whispers.

Jane opens her eyes hazily to gaze at Maura. "Hmm?"

"I want this, I do, but not as a fling, an experiment. As the beginning of something. I want this to be a beginning." Maura says quietly looking into Jane's eyes, then pressing her lips against her neck, her mouth.

Jane pauses, thinks, nods once, "Yes, a beginning," as she abandons the hem of Maura's shirt and just wraps her arms tightly around Maura's whole body. "A beginning," she murmurs into her neck, smiling.

Maura's eyes flutter open as the sun's rays fall across the rumpled bed. She stretches fully, yawning herself awake feeling to her right for the delicious warm skin of her brown-eyed friend. Disappointed and a little nervous to find cool sheets, she rolls over. She grins when she sees a neat stack of clothes and a note with her name scrawled in a heart on top. Her smile widens as she reaches and opens the note propping herself up on the pillows. Maura closes her eyes as the heady scent of bacon and coffee reach her nose.

_I couldn't bear to wake you even with little kisses. Put these clothes on (I know they aren't your usual high fashion) and come down and have breakfast with me. J_

She sighs as she looks out the window, smiling at the wildly colored leaves. 'I wish she'd have woken me up…' Maura mutters to herself remembering warm lips on her shoulders, her breasts, her belly as she climbs out of bed sighing contentedly and heads to the bathroom, the air cool to her naked skin.

Moments later, clad in Jane's ancient Boston Police Department sweatshirt and softly worn fleece pants she pads down the hall and into the kitchen. She pauses in the doorway and watches Jane's back as she stands at the sink. Her face splitting into a slow smile she quietly walks up behind her and works her arms around her waist, puts her nose into her neck where skin meets her lovely brown hair, the smell there uniquely Jane.

Inhaling, "Morning, Jane."

Jane quietly lays her hands on tops of Maura's, "Good morning," she says on a deep breath out.

Maura squeezes more firmly, "Where is this coffee I smell?" She says grinning into Jane's neck.

Jane laughs and turns around in Maura's arms.

"Hey," and lays a kiss on her cheek and brings her hands up to frame Maura's face gently.

"Hey," Maura leans in for a kiss hoping its OK, hoping last night was real, hoping the kissing, the touching, their bare skin touching, sliding was real.

Jane meets her kiss and winds her arms around Maura's neck, deepening the kiss delightfully. Maura sighs with relief into it, opens her mouth to Jane's warm tongue.

They continue to kiss wetly, softly until oxygen becomes their top priority, forcing them to pull apart they hold each other close, foreheads touching.

Jane tucks a wayward curl behind Maura's ear, "So, we're good? We're OK?" She asks breathlessly.

Maura can't help the grin splitting her face and Jane falls a little bit more at the sparkle in her blue eyes. "Hmm, yes," Maura pauses, "but next time don't leave the naked girl alone in your bed. You wake her up with kisses." She crashes her lips into Jane's as she chuckles, tightening her grip.

"Noted." Jane edges out between kisses, glad, relieved there will be a next time. "Now about that coffee…"


	2. Chapter 2

Maura walks back down the hallway to her kitchen, stopping to murmur to Bass and pet his shell gently. She smiles to herself as she stands, heading back to Jane and her breakfast and newspaper and coffee.

Jane looks up briefly, smiling widely in welcome even though Maura had been gone only a few minutes to the bathroom.

Maura pauses mid-smile and is suddenly breathless at the scene before her, in her kitchen of all places. She never thought she might have this, need this, deserve this.

Jane was sitting at her kitchen table in Maura's worn BCU t-shirt and grey sweatpants, cradling a cup of coffee, her hair wild around her shoulders reading the newspaper. Joe Friday was curled up on her bare feet. Her body at ease, her face open, relaxed. Her empty plate pushed to the side. They'd had bacon and Angela Rizzoli's famous buttermilk pancakes. Maura looked down at herself, clad in Jane's ancient Boston PD sweatshirt, her hair pulled into a messy ponytail, yoga pants and chuckled to herself. Jane looked up at Maura's laugh, smiling warmly, her eyes soft, gazing back at her.

Maura stared, she so loved this woman, how she made her feel, the comfort, the passion, how she made her laugh, listened to her. In the beginning she'd been so afraid, afraid to believe it but her feelings had grown and grown even through ups and downs. Even now they still hesitated, not being able to say the words she was sure they were both feeling. She had been surprised at their capacity to grow together, work through stuff, keep loving each other without saying it exactly.

"Maura?" Jane asked quietly, "What is it, sweetie? Come sit down, I saved the science section for you." She waved the paper and wiggled her eyebrows at her.

Maura couldn't keep the idiotic smile off her face, trying to convey her love just through her eyes. Maura moved toward Jane, one hand now on the science section the other on Jane's shoulder. Her fingers finding the warm skin of her collarbone. Jane's face turned up and Maura leaned down to press her lips softly and firmly against her mouth. Jane smiled into the kiss. Maura felt her chest grow tight with emotion as Jane's fingertips at her waist found the sensitive skin above her hipbones.

Maura makes a decision. She would make the move, say it first. After all Jane took the first chance, why shouldn't she take the second one. She kisses Jane's cheek and moves to whisper in her ear.

"I love you," on a breath out. She pulls back to see Jane's eyes widen, her grin growing lopsided. She cocks her head to the side.

"Yeah?" Jane asks quietly.

The science section long forgotten, Maura frames her face with two gentle hands. Jane is almost swooning at her warmth, Maura's fingertips along her cheeks.

"Yes. I love you so much. I'm so glad to have you in my crazy, quirky life." Maura kisses her again this time with more fire, more heat.

Jane moves to stand up and gathers Maura in her arms tightly until her mouth is dangerously close to Maura's ear, her warm breath causing a shudder through Maura's body.

"I love you, too. I love you so much." They sigh into each other. Maura feels like her chest might burst. She moves to kiss Jane sweetly.

"We can finish the paper later, right?" She asks breathlessly.

"Mhmm," Jane murmurs into Maura's neck, fingertips already at the edges of Maura's sweatshirt.


	3. Chapter 3

Empty take out containers and half filled wine glasses littered the coffee table. The Red Sox on the TV but on mute.

"Are you trying to butter me up?" Maura asks into the soft skin of Jane's neck, leaving a kiss.

Jane pulls back, "What? Noooo…. Why would I need to do that?" playfully, indignantly. Her fingers are tracing lazy circles on Maura's warm skin, her back, her sides. They lay stretched out along Jane's couch. Maura half on top of Jane, their legs tangled together, Jane's toes cold on Maura's calves.

Maura props herself up to look in Jane's chocolate brown eyes, "Oh, I don't know…maybe Rizzoli family dinner is tomorrow and you think I'm nervous?"

"Aren't you?"

Maura sighs and tucks her face back into Jane's neck. "I've been to Rizzoli family dinner before," she mutters, "Why should I be nervous?"

Jane chuckles, Maura can feel it rumble in her chest. "Oh, I don't know…" mirroring Maura's earlier words, "'cause we're going as girlfriends, as a couple, not just best friends, you are going as my one and only, and well, my mother can be overbearing and overenthusiastic and _hopefully_ totally excited for us…" Jane trails off, her hands still on Maura's back.

Maura sits up, pulls Jane with her. They maneuver so they are facing each other cross-legged on the couch. Maura holds Jane's hands in her lap.

"Jane? Are _you_ nervous?" Maura hooks her fingers gently beneath Jane's chin, bringing her eyes up.

Jane's eyes are wide. Maura looks, tries to puzzle out the different emotions she sees there. Love, for sure, apprehension, a little bit of fear but mostly love, tenderness, so much love it threatens to overwhelm her, she can feel her eyes welling up. Before it can, Jane's eyes begin to crinkle and a smile slowly creeps onto her face.

Jane grabs Maura's fingers from under her chin, kisses them softly. "Hey, stop it, I know what you are doing. Trying to figure out what I'm thinking just by looking into my eyes. Oh, Maura," Jane sighs, "Don't you know you see everything already, you don't have to guess."

Maura can't help smiling, pulling her hand away from Jane's soft lips and playfully swatting her shoulder.

"Alright, alright." Jane says between laughs, grabbing Maura's hands into her lap. "I _am_ trying to butter you up. I _am_ a little nervous about tomorrow. And I _am_ hoping to get lucky tonight. You know we both sleep better after we…"Jane ducks her head, a blush creeping up her neck.

Maura squeezes Jane's hands, absently rubbing the scars on her palms, a blush creeping up her own cheeks. Grinning, "Yeah well…you _can_ always butter me up. I _am_ also a little nervous about your mother tomorrow and of course you're getting lucky tonight."

Maura raises her eyes from their joined hands to find Jane looking at her with nothing but adoration in her eyes; tears leaking slowly down the sides. Jane leans forward, kisses Maura softly on the lips and pulls her into a tight hug.

She whispers in her ear, "My family loves you, I love you," a sniffle, "we'll be good."

"I know, I know," Maura smiles into the warm skin of Jane's neck, "I love you, too." She turns her head to capture Jane's lips in a fiery kiss, running her hands in big circles on Jane's back.

Jane groans into Maura's mouth as their tongues meet. Jane pushes Maura back until they are lying flush against each other along the squishy cushions on the couch. Maura can't help stretching like a cat as Jane drags her lips down her neck and into the open neck of her blouse, along the sensitive skin of her collarbone.

Maura brings her hands back down to Jane's warm back, her fingers tracing shoulder muscles, down to the bare skin at her waist.

"So, we'll talk more about this tomorrow?" Maura asks with a laugh deep in her chest.

"Mhmm," as Jane moves up to kiss Maura senseless, her tongue soft and slow.

"Take me to bed." Maura demands breathily, dragging her hands up to hold Jane's face, looking into her desire clouded eyes.

"Mhmm," Jane answers absently leaving one more kiss before hauling Maura up from the couch and pulling her down the hall, their fingers tangled, shutting off lights as they go.

Facing each other in the dim light, they quietly, gently help each other with shirts and belts and zippers until they are almost frantic for their skin to touch. Finally they fall in a jumbled heap on the bed, all warm skin and pounding hearts, searching eyes and fingers.

Looking up, Jane sees Maura with her head thrown back, her eyes clamped shut as Jane's hands, fingertips wander down the soft skin of her belly and then lower. Her hand stills long enough for Maura to pry her eyes open, blinking lustily, she croaks, "What?"

"You are so beautiful…" Jane murmurs huskily.

Maura reaches her hands down to pull Jane's face towards her, "Then touch me, you are driving me crazy." She drags out 'crazy' so it vibrates against Jane's lips, which only serves to turn her on more.

At the first gentle stroke between Maura's legs, her hips buck off the bed and Jane knows it is only a matter of time because Maura plunges her tongue hotly into Jane's mouth, her hands all over her skin. Finally a groan starts deep in Maura's belly as her climax whooshes through her, she arches her back, holds onto Jane tightly, her skin damp with perspiration.

Breathless, "Jane?"

"Hmmmm?" Vibrates from her breast where Jane is kissing the soft skin there.

"I love you."  
"I know, sweetie." Jane gasps as Maura suddenly flips Jane over onto her back, her lips leaving a trail of heat down Jane's body.

"Your turn," she murmurs into Jane's sensitive hipbone, trailing kisses even lower, a sigh escapes Jane's lips.

Later as they try to untangle sheets, go to the bathroom, drink water, Maura can barely keep her eyes open, and lays splayed across the most of the bed, a smile on her face.

Jane comes bounding back into the bedroom, whips the covers back and climbs in quickly. Maura's groan at the draft is silenced by a kiss from Jane's warm lips. She pulls the covers up around them and wraps her body around Maura's.

"You good?" She asks kissing Maura sweetly on the temple.

"Mhmm," Maura murmurs reaching out to shut off the light. Feeling Jane's heartbeat even out almost immediately, Maura closes her eyes and gives into sleep. They'd worry about Angela Rizzoli tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

Maura found herself standing at the sink washing dishes with Angela Rizzoli after Rizzoli family dinner, humming to herself a huge smile on her face. She couldn't believe how well it had gone.

They had stalled in the car, in the driveway, holding hands, breathing, trying to be calm. It wasn't until a text from Frankie: 'Get your asses in here, Ma's spying on you from the window.' that they were spurred into the house.

On the top step, Maura had tugged on Jane's hand to stop her.

"What, sweetie?" Jane asked, a determined and hopeful look on her face.

"It's just that Jane, your family **IS** my family. How they include me and tease me and love me as one of their own, I don't know what I would do without you, them. I don't, I can't screw this up."

Jane had turned and looked her right in the eye, "You will not screw this up. You are amazing and lovely and I love you, will always love you. You can do it, we can do it, so let's go." She left a chaste kiss on Maura's lips.

Reassured as only Jane could do for her, Maura nodded, took a deep breath and stepped up next to Jane and into the house.

Dinner had been smooth, regular, relaxed. The gnocchi delicious and a beaming Jane beautiful. Maura's relief was palpable.

When Jane had kissed her on the cheek and whispered, "See I told ya." She'd nearly swooned.

"Maura, dear?" Jane's mother addressing her brought her out of her reverie.

"Yes, Angela?" She turns to older woman, smiling broadly. Her smile fades as she notices in alarm the tears streaming down Angela Rizzoli's face.

"Oh my, what's wrong? Why are you crying? I can leave if need be?" Maura trails off, disappointment evident in her voice.

"Oh, you stop right there. These are tears of happiness. Seeing Jane tonight and you together and how happy make each other. I can't believe I missed it before. I can't believe _you_ missed it before. We already consider you part of our family and now…" she trailed off.

She took a deep breath, tried to gather her emotions. She turned to look at Maura seriously. "To tell you the truth I thought I'd be disappointed, because what I had planned for Janie wasn't gonna happen. But as I'm sure you know Janie does things her own way, regardless." Maura lets out a laugh at this.

"So I should've known, so no, these are tears of happiness, relief that Jane found someone who fits her, who gets her, who loves her. Who will let her love them back. Thank you." She envelopes Maura into a tight hug that smells of gnocchi and Italian mother and love.

"I love your daughter so much. This acceptance means so much to Jane, to me. You're the family I choose, want. I should be thanking you."

Strolling into the kitchen, Jane's laughter dies in her throat as she takes in the scene before her. Her girlfriend and her soapy arms wrapped around her mother, both of them tears streaming down their faces.

She hurries up to the two women, "What is going on?" she squeaks.

Sniffling Maura and Angela turn to Jane and silently just wrap their arms around her, bringing her into their embrace. Maura kisses Jane on the cheek, whispers, "It's all very good, don't worry."

Jane can't help it as her eyes fill and she wraps her arms around her girlfriend and her mother and just holds on tightly.

After many moments, Angela finally pulls back and looks Jane and Maura both in the eyes, "I hope you girls know that this is no way gets you out of giving me grandchildren."

Jane sighs while Maura just laughs.

"We know." They both say in unison.


	5. Chapter 5

Jane couldn't believe it. She turned and sat down heavily on Maura's front stoop, carefully placing the box she held down next to her.

Jo Friday looked up at her puzzled, _'Why aren't we going in?'_ his eyes seemed to say. Instead he lay down at Jane's feet and closed his eyes. He would wait his owner out.

"How did I get here?" Jane muttered out loud. Her thoughts went back two hours earlier when she'd picked a fight with her beloved. She winced thinking of some of the things she'd said.

The fight had started like a tiny snowball that keeps rolling down a mountain only to end up huge once it reaches the bottom. Jane couldn't believe it. She knew she longed to take back some of the things she had said to Maura. She knew she longed for a do-over like when she was a kid.

"God," she thought to herself, "What an idiot I am."

Jane had to acknowledge she'd wanted to have an argument, had maliciously picked and picked at Maura until Maura had no choice but to fight back. At first Jane had felt smugly triumphant at being able to get to the usually unflappable Medical Examiner but quickly realized as the snowball of a fight rolled out of control that this wasn't a game but real life, their real lives they were fighting about. What annoyed Jane most was that she really just wanted to ask Maura to move in together, to mesh their lives together more, to have an "our" home not hers or Maura's. But she didn't know how. And she was frustrated with herself for not being able to ask, to suggest it, to just say it so she'd picked a fight with the person she loved most, who loved her back the most.

"For crying out loud…" Jane murmurs, "Just do it, you big sissy."

She hears Maura's front door open quietly behind her, turns her head to gaze at her girlfriend.

"Do what?" Maura asks quietly, shutting the door behind her and coming to sit down next to Jane on the front stoop.

Jane held her chin in her hand, as she looked sideways at Maura, at her heart, her home. She sighs. Maura's eyes are puffy and her make-up is gone. Her green eyes are clear. She is wearing a heavy blue Red Sox sweatshirt and Jane's old Boston PD sweatpants.

Jane gently places her hand along Maura's warm cheek.

"You are so beautiful, so beautiful and I'm so sorry, so sorry. I'm an idiot." She runs her thumb along Maura's cheekbone. Maura closes her eyes into the caress.

"Oh Jane…" comes out on a whisper as Maura inches closer to her on the stoop, their thighs touching.

"No, let me finish." Jane murmurs turning to look her beloved. Maura nods her consent holding Jane's hands warmly in her lap.

"I love you, I love you so much, " Jane's voice cracks but she manages to keep looking into Maura's warm green eyes. "And I'm sorry I picked a fight with you, so sorry because I picked a stupid fight," she pauses, " because I couldn't just figure out a way to ask to you, to tell you I want us to live together, to share the same home all the time…"

Fresh tears are seeping out of Maura's eyes and she's squeezing Jane's hands in a death grip.

"That's what this is about? You want to move in together," Maura manages through a teary smile, "always? No negotiations of whose apartment tonight, where is my favorite red dress? One bed, one couch, one home?" Maura's eyes are filled with hope and love and the barest remnants of apprehension from their earlier fight.

Jane feels tears moving down her cheeks at Maura's questions, her chest tight and full, her emotions, the love she feels for this woman overwhelming. Maura reaches up and brushes tears away with the pads of her thumbs.

"Yes, one home, with _our_ stuff, and _our_ pets, and _our_ life. Always. What do you say?" Jane asks in a whisper.

Jane hears a whispered, "Yes, of course," before Maura kisses her. Her lips warm and soft.

They pull away from each other, foreheads touching, arms having found their way around necks, waists, and shoulders.

Many silent moments later, "Jane? What's in the box?" Maura murmurs before leaving a kiss on Jane's neck and leaning back.

"What? Oh…I…" Jane can feel a blush creeping up her neck, "Its silly."

"Oh, I'm sure it's not, what's in it?"

"Well, we both have stuff at each other's apartments? Right?" Maura nods.

"We share closets and drawers and you have fancy shower products in my shower and beer in your fridge and extra coats and well just everything. We practically live together anyway; our stuff is just spread out all over the place. Half the time I don't know where anything is." Jane waves her hands in the air.

Maura can't help but smile widely, giggling, agreeing, "I know… last week I spent almost a half hour looking for my blue silk dress at my house that was really hanging dry-cleaned at your place the whole time. Even I had forgotten."

Jane smiles, "And remember we forgot Bass last week because he was hiding in the guest bedroom at my place and" she drops her voice, " we may have been a little bit distracted."

They both go silent, smiling at each other. One house was definitely going to be good.

Maura raises her eyebrows after a moment, "The box?"

"Yeah, well the only thing that's really stayed the same was my bedside table. What was on it, in it. That was the same so I thought I'd empty out mine and bring it here, somehow charm you into letting me have my bedside table here, you know, always."

Jane looks down, slightly embarrassed.

"That was the plan?" Maura says laughing.

"Yeah, well that's why I was still sitting out here where you found me. Trying to think of a better plan." Jane huffs, pouting.

"Oh alright, don't pout." She wraps her arms around Jane's neck, kisses her cheek. "So Jane Rizzoli would you like to move in here with me? Make my home, our home?" Maura asks tentatively.

"Yes, Maura, if you'll have me. I mean your place is bigger and your kitchen is amazing, it's a better neighborhood…" Jane trails off.

"I would love nothing more than to live with you always. But Jane only if we can have your bed and your couches. I like yours better."

"Really?" Jane smirks.

"Really." Maura kisses Jane on the lips soundly and hauls her up from the steps. "Come on, you big sissy, grab your bedside table, let's go set it up."

Jane follows Maura into the house, laughing, relieved, thankful.


	6. Chapter 6

Maura hesitantly pushes Jane's refilled cup of coffee towards her and sits down expectantly.

"Thanks, M," Jane mumbles, eyes still on the newspaper in front of her.

Maura peers at her curiously over the rim of her own coffee cup. It was another lazy Sunday morning with empty plates, the sun streaming into the kitchen, the newspaper spread about.

Jane absently picks the coffee cup up and slowly brings it to her lips without looking. Tipping it towards her mouth, she stops, realizing there isn't any coffee in it. Narrowing her eyes and looking into the cup she notices something at the bottom. Oblivious to Maura's intent gaze, Jane reaches delicately into the cup and pulls the object out, a smile slowly splitting her face. She closes her fingers around it and finally looks up a Maura, her smile growing wider.

"Maura?"

"Jane?" Maura says grinning wider as she gazes at her beloved.

They stare at each other for many moments, the only sound Joe Friday's panting underneath the table.

"Ask me." Jane finally whispers, cocking her head to one side, her eyes joyful.

Maura nods once, sets her coffee cup down, gets up and moves towards Jane.

Jane unfolds her lanky legs to stand and meet her. Maura takes the hand holding the object in both of hers.

Maura closes her eyes for a moment, takes a deep breath in, and blows it out. Jane leans in and kisses her cheek.

"Ask me," on a breath out.

"Jane Rizzoli, I love you and our home, our family unit, our crazy, quirky life." She looks down at their joined hands, Jane hooks her fingers under Maura's chin, brings her eyes back up. Her eyes watery.

"Jane, when I was younger, I never thought I would want this, need this, deserve this…but then you, " she pokes Jane in the chest playfully, Jane smiles even bigger, "you came into my life and changed things, you changed me. So Jane, if you'll have me I would really like to spend the rest of my life loving you, laughing with you, building a life with you."

Jane reaches up and tenderly wipes the tears seeping from Maura's eyes.

"Will you marry me?" Maura asks haltingly, their lips very close.

Jane gently rubs her cheek against Maura's before whispering in her ear, "Yes. I would like to spend my life with you, always."

Maura wraps her arms firmly around Jane's body.

"Yay. Yay!" Maura says giddily, jumping up and down a little, Jane laughing deep in her belly.

Maura pulls back which elicits a groan from Jane. She steps back and holds out her hand.

"The ring, Jane."

Jane opens her fingers for Maura, uncovering a simple white-gold band of diamonds.

Maura carefully takes the ring from Jane, reverently pushing it onto the ring finger of her left hand. Maura brings the hand to her lips and leaves a soft kiss on Jane's knuckle. She looks up into adoring brown eyes.

"I love you." Jane says and wraps her arms around Maura. Her lips ghost along eyebrows, cheeks, below ears until Maura finds herself backed up against their kitchen counter.

Maura's breath has sped up, she grabs Jane's face, "Jane, my mouth, kiss me on the mouth, " she says exasperated.

Jane smirks and obliges, crashing their lips together, sliding over and over until Maura deepens the kiss, their tongues tangling.

Jane groans and lifts Maura up onto the counter, her hands roaming along Maura's back, sides, gripping her bottom. Maura wraps her legs around Jane's waist, lays kisses along her neck, collarbone, her fingers under the detective's Red Sox shirt along the warm soft skin of her waist.

Maura pulls away long enough to strip Jane of her shirt, her eyes raking down Jane's chest, settling on the delicious breasts of her fiancée.

Maura leans in, whispering against Jane's lips, "You are so beautiful."

Jane's hands still on the hem of Maura's shirt, ducking her head, a blush creeps up her torso.

"Only for you, Maura." Jane croaks out.

Maura's warm fingers close gently around Jane's breasts, she runs her thumbs over sensitive nipples until Jane can't help but arch into her hands.

Jane takes a big breath in, "M, this needs to come off," she growls gently pulling off the ancient Boston PD t-shirt Maura has made her own.

Jane crushes their naked torsos together with a sigh.

"We are taking this to the bedroom." Jane says wrapping Maura's arms more securely around her neck, and picking her up from the counter. They stumble down the hall, Maura dragging her lips along Jane's collarbone.

Later that morning, Jane languidly opens one eye and sees Joe Friday looking at her pleadingly from the floor next to their bed. She opens the other eye to take in the blonde hair and naked body of her beloved wrapped around her. She kisses Maura's forehead causing her to stir, take a waking up breath in, followed by a contented sigh.

"Sweetie?" Jane whispers in her ear.

"Hmmm?"

"I'm gonna take Joe out, be right back, OK?"

"Mhmm." She says leaving a kiss on Jane's shoulder and untangling her limbs from Jane's, letting her up.

Jane gets up reluctantly, glancing back at Maura who has settled on her back, one breast peeking from beneath the tangled blue sheet. Not opening her eyes, "Stop ogling, go take the dog out, I can hear her whimpering."

Jane chuckles, pulling on the first pants she finds, she leans over at the last minute, leaving a tiny kiss on the side of Maura's breast causing her to shiver.

A smile creeps onto her face, "Go!"

"OK, OK. I'm going, let's go Joe." She pads out of the room in search of her t-shirt and sneakers.

When Jane returns, Maura hasn't moved, a small smile still on her lips. Jane looks down at the beautiful new ring on her finger, a small smile growing on her own face.

"I can hear you stalling in the doorway. Get back over here." Maura says quietly, waking Jane from her thoughts. Jane nods thoughtfully, a decision made.

"I'm not stalling, just admiring my beautiful fiancée." She says, a smile in her voice.

"Well get over here and admire a little closer." Maura opens her eyes slowly and starts giggling.

"What?" Jane asks, confused.

"Nice pants, Jane." Maura says between laughs.

Jane looks down and can't help but laugh too when she realizes she's wearing Maura's yoga pants which barely cover her knees.

Sheepish she advances on Maura, "What? They were on top of the pile on the floor."

"Get over here." Maura says reaching her arms out.

Jane climbs on the bed straddling Maura's hips, laying a warm kiss on her lips.

"Good morning, again." Maura says grinning, propping herself up on the pillows.

Jane absently plays with the sheet wrapped around Maura. "M, can I ask you something?" Jane asks suddenly shy.

Maura stills Jane's fidgeting hands, her own fingers spinning Jane's ring around and around. "Of course," a smile in her eyes.

Jane reaches over to her bedside table and pulls out a small black box. She places it carefully on Maura's belly.

"I've had this ring for two weeks. Two weeks. I've been wracking my brains for a special, amazing, memorable way to ask you to marry me, to tell you all this forever talk doesn't scare me. I'm in; our life together is what I want. I have been stressed and worried and just didn't know what to do." Jane trails off and wipes tears from her eyes, sniffles.

"Oh, sweetie…" Maura begins.

Jane stops her with a kiss. "I can't believe you beat me to it. You just go and ask on a regular sunny Sunday morning, in our kitchen after our favorite pancakes and it was perfect, perfect, " she kisses Maura again. "And then we made love and I woke up with you wrapped around me and I realized how stupid I've been. I'd forgotten what our life really is-it's all the little things added up together. Not crazy romantic gestures but the Sunday paper and pancakes, shoe shopping together, drinking wine, Red Sox games, walking the dog, eating meals, and laughing and our friends and my family and sleeping naked together and just taking care of each other…" Jane finally looks up from their twined fingers to see a teary smiling Maura gazing back at her.

Jane takes a calming breath in, knowing this was her perfect moment, it was right.

"So Maura, will you keep building our life together? Keep sharing the little moments and not so little moments. Will you keep letting me love you, always? Will _you_ marry _me_?"

The teary medical examiner sits up and enfolds Jane in a tight embrace.

"That was perfect," she whispers "and the answer is yes."


	7. Chapter 7

Maura stands between Jane's legs as Jane sits upon the hospital bed in the Emergency Room. Jane's fingertips try to smooth the crinkles in Maura's forehead as she fusses with Jane's shirt buttons, her collar.

Maura leans in and leaves a gentle kiss on the angry gash above Jane's eyebrow with ten new stitches.

Jane puts her hands gently on Maura's shoulders, "Ready?"

Maura looks up, swallows and nods, takes a step back, letting Jane stand up.

Jane and Maura both know Jane had gotten lucky this last time. They always appreciated the luck because how could they stand it otherwise?

Chasing a suspect with a knife, Jane had gotten shoved to the ground and came within inches of major internal injuries. She had managed to throw the perp off enough that the knife only grazed her arm. Frost had come along then and tackled the guy off her, cuffing him, ending the potential nightmare.

Jane had made out with an ugly knot on her brow with an angry cut along with twelve more stitches on the inside of her upper arm. She was sore and shaken up but OK, not how she wanted to begin her weekend.

The two women look at each other thoughtfully as Jane gathers her paperwork, hands Maura her purse.

Maura looks up anxiously, "Who's telling your mother?"

"Umm, neither of us?" Jane says hopefully earning a raised eyebrow from her beloved.

"Hmmm, we'll see." Maura mutters taking Jane's hand and leading them out into the hallways and homeward.

The ride home is quiet. Jane knows this is how Maura deals with things. This is one of the only times where words fail her. Maura knows the risks Jane faces everyday, accepts it as being part of their lives but she deals with it differently than anything else. Most often Maura just goes right after things, talks and talks and researches but this, this mortality, Jane's, life's fragility is hard for Maura to organize in her brain.

Jane glances sideways at her partner, her lips and jaw are tight but her fingers draw calming circles on Jane's thigh. This tactile connection is Maura's way of letting her know she isn't running, closing herself off, just processing. It helps Jane feel somewhat better.

They pull into the driveway and head inside. Jane can't help the sigh of relief to just be home, her home, her sanctuary. Home with Joe nuzzling her legs, Maura helping her with her coat hanging it and hers up, toeing out of her shoes, idly looking at the mail. Jane eyes Maura closely trying to gauge how she is doing, where she is in her ritual of moving forward, moving away from worry and fear.

Sighing deliberately, Maura looks up, "I can feel you watching me, you know." She stands up on her tiptoes and leaves a gentle kiss on Jane's mouth with a small smile.

"Do you want anything? I think I might have a bath. Why don't you change and relax on the couch?"

Jane just nods and wraps her arms around Maura warmly, kissing her forehead.

"I'm OK, you go ahead. I can get what I need."

"OK." Maura kisses her neck, reaches down to scratch Joe behind the ear and walks quietly down the hall to their room leaving Jane alone with her thoughts.

She blows out a breath; Jane thinks Maura seems a little more off than usual, quieter, more withdrawn.

Jane plops down on the couch; today had scared the hell out of her too. Not that in their nearly two year relationship there hadn't been close calls plus there was Hoyt and Bobby and shooting herself even before they had officially gotten together. Getting tackled and almost stabbed wasn't close to the worst they'd been through. Having someone to worry about her and be nervous about what she was doing had been a transition in itself. She knew she was less reckless and more thoughtful before taking risks. It had actually made her a better detective, a better person. But she still got rattled.

Jane looks down at her fingers, absently rubbing her scars, it was hard to give Maura the space she needed right now but she understood. Maura loved her in ways no one else could, she'd known the risks and gone ahead and tucked her heart right in there next to Jane's.

Jane sighs and pushes herself up off the couch. She turns on a couple of lamps, opens a bottle of wine for later, takes a couple of ibuprofen, and heads down the hall to their bedroom. She is pretty sure that Maura will be in the bathroom by now.

She sees Maura's dress laid out on the bed, can smell lavender from the steamy bathroom. She pulls off her clothes chucking them into the hampers. She takes a moment to inspect the new scar on the inside of her arm, frowning. Jane digs out a t-shirt and a pair of gym short and pulls them on.

On her way out of the bedroom she can't help but hear a soft whimper come from behind the bathroom door. She stops where she is. Jane can't help the tears forming in her eyes thinking of Maura all alone in the bathroom crying about this, about her. She makes a decision, she will not let her do it alone, she won't. She will crawl into that tub and wrap her long arms and legs around the woman she loves until the tears stop and her smile, her twinkle comes back.

Jane steps quietly into the dimly lit bathroom. Maura is up to her armpits in bubbly steamy water. One slender arm is draped along the side of the tub while the other covers her mouth as tears, big, wet, ugly tears stream down her face.

Jane's tears overflow at the sight; her sniffle brings Maura's eyes to meet hers.

Before Maura can say anything, can send her away, "Maura I know you hate for me to see you like this but I, but I just need to get in there and hold you." Jane whispers.

By now Jane is kneeling on the floor next to the tub, their noses almost touching, her chin resting on Maura's arm.

"Please?" Jane murmurs, reaching to wipe tears from Maura's face. Maura wipes her nose and nods finally, "There are waterproof bandages in the medicine cabinet, for your arm." She says pointing vaguely.

Jane can't help the small smile, that one sentence reassuring in a way nothing else could be. Her Maura was still in there.

Quickly Jane shucks her clothes and places the bandage gingerly over her new stitches.

"Scoot up a little…" Jane murmurs folding herself in behind Maura, carefully wrapping her arms and legs around her partner.

They both breathe quietly, deep in their own thoughts, just reveling in their close contact, warm skin on warm skin.

"You know that I would never ask you to stop being a detective, I would never ask you to change?" Maura says softly.

"I know." Jane murmurs in her ear.

"Who you are, strong, brave, honest, loyal, parts I love most are in part because you are a detective."

Jane nods sensing that Maura needs to think this through out loud, outside her head.

"But, you are my _home_. You are my safe haven, my everything, so to, even for a moment, consider a life without you in it…God, I can't even do it anymore." She sighs, tightening her hold on Jane, her fingers around Jane's.

"So even though I know, I know we are who we are and bad things can happen and we'll get through it and we do and will have this amazing life. It's still hard and I hate to cry and pull away from you a little bit but it helps me and I am grateful you understand me just as much as I understand you. That being said your arms and legs around me, your lips in my hair, on my neck is helping too." A smile finally creeps into her voice.

"You know it scares me just as much?" Jane asks.

"I know."

"I didn't expect to have a home, a partner, a person to come home to, to want to always get back to, to love who loves me all the time, who worries about me and wants me safe-it scares me because I don't ever want to let you down." Jane squeezes Maura gently, tears seeping down both women's faces.

"Oh, Jane you'll never let me down. I, we are in this together, a partnership, a soon to be a marriage, a life."

They sit quietly for a few more moments before Jane's stomach interrupts their thoughts with a low rumble.

They both giggle. "Time to get out, sweetie?" Maura asks laughing.

"I think so." Jane answers with a laugh, "Are you feeling better?"

"Mhmm, I think I am." Maura says as she carefully stands up and turns to help Jane up.

Jane can't help her eyes as they travel up Maura's naked body, water streaming down her curves. "You are so beautiful." Jane whispers, crashing her lips into Maura's.

"You, too, sweetie, you too." Maura winds her arms carefully around Jane's neck.

They help each other dry off, get dressed. Maura checks Jane's stitches. They know there will be time for naked skin and questing lips and fingers later. Now was the time for closeness, warmth, intimacy, tenderness, knowing they were OK, together, moving forward, building their life. They head down the hallway towards the kitchen and food and wine.

Jane looks over and sees a smirk on Maura's face. "What are you smiling about?"

Maura shakes her head chuckling, "How about I call for pizza and _you_ call your mother?" She emphasizes her last point with a gentle poke to Jane's side.

"Hey! Awww, Maura, come on. She'll take it much better coming from you. You know she likes you better." Jane whines playfully.

"Oh, please and the answer is no way." Maura mutters already dialing for pizza.

Jane just leans against the counter and sighs in relief, they were OK, and things were going to be OK.


	8. Chapter 8

Jane and Maura looked at each other across the table at the Dirty Robber.

"Rizzoli-Isles?" Jane suggests.

"Isles-Rizzoli?" They both scrunch their noses, unsure how they like either one.

"Do you think we should, one of us take the other's last name?" Jane asks taking a sip of her beer.

"Convention would say that we share one name." Maura trails off thinking. "I don't want you to take this the wrong way but I've been Maura Isles for a long time. It would be strange to be Maura Rizzoli, Dr. Rizzoli. Not bad strange but it might take some time to get used to. I'm open to talking about it. Your family is more my family than my own so having that last name might be appropriate." Maura nods thoughtfully.

It was less than two weeks until their wedding. Most things were all set, planned out –flowers, music, food but there were little loose ends they needed to tie up. Planning had gone well, Maura and Jane had been surprised how what they wanted their wedding to look like was often the same considering how different they were. Certainly concessions on both sides were made but overall they were feeling good.

They just needed to decide on last names, jewelry, Jane's shoes, little details that were driving Jane crazy. How Maura remained so serene and patient and disgustingly happy was a wonder to her.

"You're right. I'm not sure how I feel about Jane Isles, Detective Isles. She rolled it around in her mouth, her head. I don't know. And you are a part of the Rizzoli family, we would be lucky if you took our name, my name…" Jane trails off looking into Maura's bright hazel eyes smiling back at her.

After a moment and a hearty sip of her drink, "Gahh, how in the world can you stay so calm?" Jane asks exasperated.

Maura tilts her head to the side, grins and reaches across the table to hold Jane's hand, rubbing soothing circles along the faded scar.

"To tell you the truth, I have no idea. Normally I would be absolutely crazy but the thing is…I'm sure. Sure about us, doing this, saying yes, getting married so I'm choosing to believe it will all work out." She shrugs.

Maura can see Jane's face and shoulders relax visibly at her words.

Jane sighs, "I know Maura. Thanks for being the voice of reason. I know there was a reason I kept you around." She gave Maura a wink, took another sip of her beer.

Moments later, Maura spots Korsak and Frost coming towards them drinks in their hands.

"Hey guys," Maura says cheerfully as both women scoot over allowing the men to sit.

Frost briskly rubs his hands together enthusiastically, "So how's the wedding planning going?" He says almost too gleefully.

Jane can't help but roll her eyes and Maura can't help but laugh.

"Don't mind Jane, maybe you can help us out with something. We are trying to figure out some last minute things, one of them being what will our last name be? What do you think we should do?"

"You can't just keep your same last names?" Korsak asks.

"We could, I guess we are feeling like a change though, marking this change in our lives." Jane says holding her hands up. "Other ideas?"

"Hyphenated?" Barry offers.

"We thought about that. I guess we like Rizzoli-Isles best if we go that route. But what else?" Maura asks

Frost lets out a laugh and quickly looks down, covering his mouth.

"What?" Three voices demand.

"Well don't hit me but what about Rizzisles or Isloli? Or Risles? You know combine them…" He trails off at the looks on everyone's faces. Both women reach over and swat him. They can't stay stern for long though and soon they all are laughing.

Jane is wiping tears from her eyes, "Seriously, Rizzisles? Just make up a total new name?"

"Alright, alright." Maura waves her hands. "OK, Jane, here's my idea. Let's both change to Rizzoli-Isles officially. At work, professionally we can still be Detective Rizzoli, Doctor Isles if we want but then legally, personally, when we have children we can be Rizzoli-Isles, have the same last names. What do you think?"

"Our kids are gonna have hyphenated pretentious last names?" Jane blurts, a smile hidden in her eyes.

"Well…" Maura stammers, thinking Jane just said '_our kids_'.

She only lets Maura open and close her mouth like a fish for a few moments until she saves her.

"Maura, I'm kidding. That sounds good to me. And our kids will be so amazing-they'll be able to pull off the hyphen, no problem."

Maura huffs playfully, "Oh, you're funny. Good thing I already said yes." Maura stands up to lean across the table and kisses Jane square on the mouth. "You said our kids…" she whispers into her lips.

"I know, Maura, I love you." Jane murmurs into Maura's lips.

"Me, too."

They can hear Frost and Korsak making gagging noises but they continue to smile goofily at each other as they both sit down.

"Oh, shut up, you two." Jane mutters.

Maura rubs her hands together mirroring Frost's earlier enthusiasm, "Now about Jane's shoes…and don't roll your eyes at me, Jane."


	9. Chapter 9

The late summer day was beautiful, the sky a deep blue and people were in a festive mood. Barry Frost scanned the laughing and smiling crowd looking for Frankie. It was almost time. Frost was glad Jane and Maura had decided to kick their wedding festivities off with the cocktail hour. It gave everyone a chance to settle in, relax, visit, and drink.

He was little nervous, not for his friends but for himself and trying to stay on Jane's mother's good side. He noticed Dennis the wedding planner, with his arm tucked into Angela's, on the side lawn talking to Maura's parents. They all seemed to be laughing as they sipped their cocktails so he sighed in relief. He caught Frankie's eye and with a nod they met on the porch of the bed and breakfast Jane and Maura had chosen for their wedding.

"Did you pick them up?" Frankie asked.

"Of course." He patted his suit coat pocket.

"OK, lets go find them and make 'em cry." Frankie grinned evilly.

Replenishing their drinks and getting a couple for the girls, they climb the stairs to his sister and Maura's room and knock loudly on the door.

"Hey! Stop making out in there and let us in. We have something for you." Frankie says loudly, Frost chuckling by his side.

"Go away!" They hear Jane yell playfully.

Maura opens the door a crack with a comical look on her face, "What do you want, gentlemen?" She says sweetly.

Frost steps up, "Come on, Maur, let us in, we have a gift for each of you, it's important." He gives his best puppy dog eyes.

She opens the door wider smiling, "What can we do for you?"

Both men are speechless, Maura's strapless gown is amazing and to say the doctor looked gorgeous would be an understatement. Jane comes up behind her girlfriend and eyes the guys with their mouth's wide open.

"Hey, keep your eyes up here." She says pointing at Maura's face, laughing. They mutely close their mouths and turn their eyes to Jane.

"Holy, shit Janie, you look…" Frankie stumbles over his words, elbowing Frost.

Jane raises her eyebrows at her brother, "Frankiee…"

Frankie eyes his sister's shorter dress, the cream color contrasting with her summer tan and her hair pulled up halfway, mostly tamed trailing down her back. Frankie couldn't help the emotion filling up his chest, causing quick tears to surface in his eyes.

He tries again, whispering, "Geez, Janie, it's just that you look wonderful, beautiful." He leans in and wraps her in a tight hug.

They pull apart from each other, surreptitiously wiping their eyes as Maura and Frost smile at each other.

Maura takes Jane's hand in hers, "So did you at least bring us up something to drink?"

The tension broken, the guys laugh and bring their arms from behind them and hand a glass of wine over to Maura and a bottle of beer to Jane.

"So what do you two clowns want?" Jane says smiling at her brother and her friend after taking a long drink of her beer, smiling at Maura who is sipping her wine giddily.

Frost clears his throat and sets his beer down on the table by the door as Frankie sets his on the window ledge.

"Oh, no, Jane this looks serious." Maura says chuckling lightly.

"So we know both of you value rituals and traditions and even though you have chosen to forgo some of the wedding rituals we know others are very important to you. Some are important to us. Since you don't have traditional bridesmaids, you have us, we had to step up to the plate." Frost pauses and looks over at Frankie.

"Tradition says that you have something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. So, with a little help from Ma and your mother Maura, we have a gift for both of you."

Frost pulls two small boxes from his coat pocket and hands one to each woman. At this point Maura's eyes are threatening to overflow at the thoughtfulness of her friends and Jane isn't too far behind, they look at each other before opening the boxes gingerly.

They pull out matching necklaces, small white gold hearts with a single blue sapphire at the top. Maura has lost her battle with her tears at this point while Jane's chin is trembling.

"The sapphires are from a ring handed down from our great grandmother, something old and blue." Frankie says quietly.

"The hearts were made from the wedding rings of your mother's grandparents, Maura. We had them melted down and reformed. Sort of new and borrowed at the same time." Frost finishes. "Can we help you put them on?"

At this point everyone's eyes are moist, the men put the necklaces on and hugs are exchanged all around.

Maura finds her words first, "These are amazing, thank you so much."

Jane wipes her eyes, sniffles, "Yeah, who would have thought you guys would have it in you? You make great bridesmaids."

Frankie and Frost step back and give each other high fives as Maura and Jane collect themselves.

Maura and Jane eye them suspiciously, "What was that for?" Maura sputters.

"Our goal was to get you both to cry, and we totally rocked it." Frankie hooted.

Jane smacked them both on the shoulders, "I cannot believe you guys."

Frankie clears his throat, gets himself together. "But seriously, Jane, you both look amazing, we are so glad we get to be a part of this. I am honored to be your best man, so thank you." He nods at Jane, smiling.

"Aww, Frankie, you know I love you, right?" She grins at him and folds him in a fierce hug.

As soon as she steps back, Maura steps right up to Frankie, "I love you too. I never had a brother before, I am glad I get to have you." She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek.

When Frankie steps back he has tears running silently down his face, unable to keep his emotions in check. "Aww, you guys, I can't believe you made me cry." He wipes his eyes and nose with the back of his hands.

"Maura, Jane, it is also my pleasure to be your best man, as well, to be accepted into your family unit. Thank you." Frost says, stepping forward and hugging both women ferociously, his own eyes damp around the edges.

"OK, lets let these ladies finish their preparations and head downstairs, make sure Angela hasn't caused any trouble."

Less than an hour later…

Frank Rizzoli, Sr. straightens his tie one last time before nodding in satisfaction. He looked good, the blue tie and the grey suit fit him well. He turns to the left and sees his daughter and Maura fussing over each other near the front door of the old bed and breakfast. He can't help the smile on his face as he watches them. They tuck curls, fix necklaces, smooth straps, run hands up and down arms. It is like they can't help but touch each other.

Frank, Sr. is so proud of his daughter, for figuring it out, for taking a chance. And Maura, what a lovely young lady she is, he is grateful to be gaining another daughter today. He clears his throat as he approaches the young women.

"How are we doing, girls?" He asks gruffly, putting his arms around both women.

They both turn with huge smiles on their faces. Maura nods as Jane answers for them. "We're good, Pop. How are you doing? Wow. You look good Pop, really handsome." Jane says running her fingers along his lapels, laying them flat. "Is it almost time?"

Frank turns to Maura, "It is an honor to not only walk my daughter down the aisle but you also. Welcome officially to the family." Franks leans in and leaves a short kiss on her cheek.

Jane can see the tears on the verge in her eyes and can't help the ones suddenly close to the surface in her own. She quickly wipes her eyes with the backs of her hands and reaches out and wipes Maura's eyes with the pads of her thumbs. 'What is the deal today with the tears.' She thinks to herself.

"OK, OK, enough with the love fest, let's get this show on the road. How do we look, Pops? Pretty good, huh?" Jane turns and twirls the cream-colored dress swirling around her long legs.

Frank chuckles and shares a look with Maura, "Yes, Janie, you look lovely, almost as lovely as Dr. Isles here." Frank takes in Maura's longer, strapless beaded gown.

Just as Jane is about to retort when Dennis their spiky, blonde haired wedding planner sticks his head in the door of the bed and breakfast, a warm smile on his face. "Ready to go, troops?"

Maura winds her hand through Frank's arm and nods at Jane with a huge smile on her face. "Let's go, Jane, I'm ready to be Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles, no backing out now."

Frank grins at Jane and offers his other arm. "We'll be right along Dennis." Over the past few months, Frank had become quite fond of the quirky wedding planner. He had been invaluable when dealing with Angela Rizzoli and for that they all were eternally grateful.

The three of them step onto the wide sweeping porch of the bed and breakfast Jane and Maura had chosen for their wedding. The crowd looking at them elicits different reactions from each person. Maura can't help but grin wider, Frank straightens his tie once more, and Jane desperately hopes she doesn't fall down in the damn high heels Maura picked out for her.


	10. Chapter 10

Jane stills the fingers buried deep inside Maura and looks at her gloriously naked new wife underneath her. Her skin glowing, her hips moving in a precise rhythm, the pink tipped breasts heaving with Maura's aroused breathing.

Maura's eyes flutter open, her hips still.

"What?" She croaks, her voice cracking with desire.

Jane begins to move only her thumb in slow circles around her clit, putting pressure in just the right spot until Maura's hips can't help but move with her.

"Say them again?"

Maura gazes into Jane's dark brown eyes, pulls her head forward and kisses her squarely on the mouth, a tangle of tongues and lips. Jane can't help the groan that escapes her lips. She pulls back still keeping the maddening rhythm with her thumb.

"Maura?" Jane whispers.

Maura sucks in a huge breath, tries, "I can't with you…" she trails off breathlessly.

Jane smiles into Maura's neck, leaves kisses.

"Jane, please…please." She pushes her hips forward intent on creating more contact, more friction.

Jane looks at her new wife, at her flushed skin, her hands fisted in the sheets, her fluttering eyes and takes pity on her beloved.

"Maura Elizabeth Isles, I love you and our crazy, quirky life." Jane whispers into Maura's ear, entering Maura swiftly with two fingers. Maura's groan is music to Jane's ears. She keeps a steady rhythm, can feel Maura's fingernails dig into the skin of her back, her hips picking up the pace.

"I promise to be your home, to keep you safe, make you laugh and share my life with you. You and your brain and your heart have made me better."

The vibrations of Jane's husky voice in her ear is almost enough to send Maura over the edge but then Jane circles her clit with just the right pressure and she stiffens as the orgasm rolls through her.

Jane lips on her ear, "…and I will love you forever. Will you be mine?"

Maura is nodding into Jane's neck as Jane's fingers are still tucked deliciously inside her. Finally Maura is able to catch her breath, wrapping her arms around Jane pulling her on top of her. Jane gently removes her fingers to wind her arms around Maura.

Many moments later, Maura brings her hands up to either side of Jane's face, "Jane Angela Rizzoli, I love you. You are my home, my better half."

Maura moves her hands to Jane's shoulders and quickly flips her over onto her back. Jane lets out a surprised yelp followed by a satisfied sigh as Maura's naked length settles onto her.

Maura begins to trail kisses along Jane's beautiful collarbone. Her fingers rove down Jane's quivering belly, before fluttering to a stop in soft curls.

Jane's fingers dance along Maura's back, the skin so warm and soft.

"Maura, please…" Jane whispers hoarsely, her hips rising to meet Maura's maddening fingers.

Maura smiles into Jane's left breast before plunging two fingers into Jane's wet heat.

"I promise to be your safe haven in the storms, to be gentle when you need it and tough when you need that too."

"Too slow." Jane mutters interrupting, pulling Maura up to her mouth, kissing her in a wild mix of tongues and teeth and lips.

Maura peers into Jane's face, her eyes gloriously dark, her hair a tumbled mess around her.

"My wife." Maura thinks to herself, increasing her rhythm to match Jane's hips, smiling widely. She places her cheek on Jane's warm one, "…I promise to share my life with you, growing, laughing and everything in between, Jane…"

Maura settles the heel of her hand onto Jane's clit causing her hips to rise up rigidly, one last time, her fingers buried deep inside.

Whispering against her cheek, "…I'll love _you_ forever. Will you be mine?"

Jane growls, "Oh, Maura…" as the orgasm runs through her body. She wraps her long arms and legs around Maura holding her close.

Maura has almost fallen asleep wrapped in the warmth of Jane's body when Jane stirs, stretching, adjusting, drawing circles along the skin on Maura's back, sides.

"Of course I'll be yours. We'll be each other's." Jane murmurs into Maura's forehead, leaving kisses. She can feel Maura's smile in the side of her neck.


End file.
